Incidence of Radiation Caries in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy in the Head and Neck Region

Objective: To determine the incidence of radiation induced caries in conventionally treated patients with head and neck cancer in Bosnian population. Method: A number of 30 patients with malignant diseases were included into this study, from the Clinic for Maxillofacial Surgery and Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology. All the patients were treated with radiotherapy in the region of head and neck, at the Institute for Oncology, Clinical Centre of University in Sarajevo. All thirty patients were examined in four time periods: before the radiation, 3 weeks aft er commencing the radiation, three months aft er commencing the radiation and six months aft er commencing the radiation. Results: Before starting radiation the DMFT-index (Decay Missing Filling Tooth-index) in our patients was 19,4. After 3 weeks commencing the radiation the DMFT-index was also 19, 4. Three months aft er commencing the radiation DMFT-index was 19, 8. Aft er six months commencing the radiation therapy the DMFT-index in our patients was 23, 9. Conclusion: Radiation caries is late effect of radiation therapy and like all other complications have a tremendous impact on patient's quality of life during and aft er radiotherapy. Therefore, it would be necessary for a dental following of the patient during and aft er the radiation therapy, so dentist should be part of the oncology tim which is now not the practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina.